Ice maker



P 13, 1955 s. w. E. ANDERSSON 2,717,506

ICE MAKER Filed Dec. 10, 1952 fill/L l ATTORNEY United States Patent- ICE MAKER Sven W. E. Andersson, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 10, 1952, Serial No. 325,146

Claims. (Cl. 62-106) This invention relates to automatic ice makers and particularly to means for preventing the freezing of water in a Water line leading to the ice mold of automatic ice makers.

This invention may be considered an addition to the ice maker disclosed and claimed in my copending patent application, Serial No. 205,519, filed January 11, 1951.

Briefly, my above copending application discloses an ice maker wherein an ice forming mold has a generally arcuate contour so that pieces of ice may be readily turned or swept from the mold by relative turning movement between the mold and the ice pieces. The ice removing action is automatic, as is the filling of the mold, freezing, and loosening of the ice pieces. The ice pieces are detained for thorough drying before discharge to storage. The automatic operation is stopped short of discharge of ice to storage, and remains suspended during the time that a desired quantity of ice pieces is held in storage. In the specific structure disclosed in my above copending application, power for operating the ice release and the control mechanism is provided by a hydraulic motor which also measures and delivers a quantity of water to the ice mold for freezing. The disclosure of my above copending application may be considered a part of this instant application and may be referred to for a detailed description of parts thereof that are common to the two patent applications.

This invention may also be considered in addition to the ice maker disclosed and claimed in my copending companion application, Serial No. 325,147, filed concurrently herewith. In the companion application, a geared electric motor is used for operating the mechanism that automatically fills the mold, freezes the water, loosens the ice and removes the ice pieces from the mold. The motor is of a type that stalls when an excess torque is applied to the output shaft thereof without burning out or otherwise harming such motor. The mold and ejector or conveyor mechanism used with my present invention is generally similar to that illustrated and described in the companion application and in my above copending application, Serial No. 205,519. Further, in accordance with the companion application, I provide control means whereby upon the freezing of the water in the mold a circuit is closed to the stall motor by a mold thermostat whereupon the motor turns the ejector mechanism through approximately 180 degrees of rotation until the ejector mechanism contacts the ice frozen in the mold which stalls the motor. Shortly after the stall motor begins its initial movement, a holding circuit is closed by a motor actuated switch which maintains the motor energized even though the original motor circuit be opened by the warming of the thermostat or the opening of a stop switch to be referred to hereinafter. Simultaneously with the closing of the holding circuit, a holding relay is energized, which in turn establishes additional circuits, also to be referred to hereinafter. The motor remains stalled until such time as the ice has been thawed free of the mold surfaces by electric heating elements contained in the mold.

After the ice has been thawed free of the mold, the motor and attached ejector mechanism resumes its turning until such time as the ejector mechanism has completed 360 degrees of rotation from its starting point, which latter movement sweeps the ice from the mold. The motor actuated switch then opens the holding circuit to the motor whereupon the motor stops. Simultaneous with the opening of the holding circuit, a circuit, one of the additional circuits referred to above, is closed to a solenoid operated water valve whereupon the valve is opened and water flows from a suitable source of supply to the ice mold. An electrode is located on the ejector mechanism in a manner that when the water reaches the desired level in the mold and contacts the electrode, a low voltage circuit is closed to a sensitive relay, which relay opens the circuit to the solenoid valve, thereby closing such valve and stopping the flow of water to the mold. The ice is held on the ejector mechanism and is dried during the next freezing cycle, and is then discharged into an ice receptacle at the beginning of the next release cycle. A stop switch mounted on a movable vane opens the motor circuit and discontinues the operation of the ice maker when the ice storage receptacle is filled.

The problem of preventing obstruction of the water tube leading to the mold in the above ice makers, due to water freezing in the part of the tube subjected to subfreezing temperatures, can be easily solved when the water inlet valve shuts off perfectly tight. It is merely necessary to provide a tube of sufiiciently large diameter located at moderate slant so that the tube will drain clear when the Waterfiow stops. The tube is preferably made of some material of low heat conductivity to prevent loss of refrigeration and to minimize the tendency for frost to build up inside the tube. In cases of even a very small leakage past the valve, the tube is, however, liable to become plugged with ice during prolonged inactivity of the ice maker because every drop of water rolling down the tube becomes frozen near the outlet end with cumulative effect.

In accordance with this invention, I provide a simple, practical and inexpensive diverter connection in the water line leading to the ice mold, whereby any water that may leak past the valve in such line will be diverted through a drain conduit to a drain tray or more simply to some place where it can be disposed of by evaporation and without plugging the line.

The invention is illustrated and described in connection with automatic ice makers of the type referred to above. However, the invention has many other applications. For example, the invention may be used wherever the discharge end of a water, or other congealable liquid, line is located in a sub-freezing atmosphere and wherein drops of such liquid are apt to roll through the line toward the discharge end thereof and be frozen thereby plugging the line.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, is set forth in more technical detail in the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan, partly in section, of an ice maker incorporating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my diverter connection; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the diverter.

Referring now to the drawing, 10 represents an ice mold having a generally semi-circular cross section divided into ice compartments by tapered transverse partitions 12. Each of the partitions is provided with a weir or notch 14 at the right side thereof for flow of water from the rear to the forward compartments. An ejector or conveyor mechanism 16 is mounted for counterclockwise rotation above and through the mold. The ejector mechanism includes a shaft 18 having an ejector blade 20 provided with a plurality of tabs or fingers 22, one for each ice mold compartment, mounted thereon. The shaft 18 is mounted for rotation in insulating mounting plates 24 attached to each end of the ice mold. A geared stall motor 26 having an output shaft 28 is mounted on the rearof the refrigerator and is connected to the ejector shaft 18 by an insulating coupling 30. A stop vane 32 attached to an arm 34 is pivotally mounted, as at 36, upon the rear mounting plate 24 and is raised and lowered by a cam 38 mounted on the ejector shaft 18. The stop vane 32 is provided with a mercury switch, not shown, for opening the circuit to the motor 26 when an ice storage receptacle located below the ice maker is filled. Onlyso much of the ice maker as is necessary for a complete understanding of this invention is included in this application. For a detailed description of the filling, freezing, loosening and ejecting mechanism, and the controls therefore, reference may be had to my copending companion application Serial No. 325,147, referred to above.

In accordance with this invention the ice mold is automatically filled with water by a two-way solenoid valve 40 having an inlet conduit 42 and an outlet conduit 44. The outlet conduit 44 is connected to a diverter 46 having a restricted passageway 48 and a large or unrestricted passageway 50. A relatively large tube 52 made of plastic or other suitable heat insulating material is connected to the passageway and passes through the rear wall 54 of the refrigerator in which the ice maker is located. The open end of the tube 52 may discharge directly into the ice mold, or as shown, it may discharge into a trough '56 which in turn discharges into the rear compartment of the ice mold. A drain conduit 58 provided with a vent or siphon-preventing opening 64) leads from the bottom of the large passageway 50 of the diverter to a place of disposal, not shown. The drain conduit 58 may discharge into a drip tray or to a place where the drip water may be disposed of by evaporation.

A freezing coil 62, connected to a suitable refrigerating system not shown, includes finned sections 64 for cooling the refrigerator compartment 66 and a loop section 68 that passes in contact with the bottom of the ice mold for freezing the water therein. portion of a housing that encloses the ice mold and ejector mechanism.

It is to be noted that the discharge end of conduit 52 is subjected to the sub-freezing temperatures of the refrigerated compartment 66 and of the compartment formed by the housing 7% in which the ice maker is located,'therefore, should there be even a very small leakage past the valve 40, and even though the tube 52 be slanted as shown, this tube is, however, liable to become plugged with ice during prolonged inactivity of the ice maker because every drop of water rolling down this tube becomes frozen near the outlet end with a cumulative effect. However, with the diverter in the water line between the valve 40 and the mold it), when the valve 40 is open the water will shootfrorn the restrietedpassageway 48 straightthrough the unrestricted passageway 50 and into the plastic tube 52. When the valve 40 is closed, any dripping due to a valve leak or any other cause on the other hand drains down into the tube 58 as shown in Fig. 3. The vent opening in the tube S -PTCV JDtS the siphoning of water through this tube.

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantagesof the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, audit will, of course, be understood that changes inform, proportions and minor details of con struction may be resortedto without departing from the spiritof the invention and scope of the claims.

"What'is claimed is:

l. 'A liquid conduit having an inlet portion with a valve 70 indicates a .thereinconnected to a sourceof liquid and anoutlet porfor series flow through the-two passageways, and a drain 7 always in open communication with the unrestricted passageway and leading from the lowermost portion thereof, the construction and arrangement being such that when the valve is open a stream of liquid flowing into the restricted passageway flows therefrom substantially as a solid stream through the unrestricted passageway into the outlet portion of the conduit, whereas when the valve is closed drops of liquid flowing into the restricted passageway flow therefrom through the unrestricted passageway to the drain without entering the outlet portion of the conduit.

2. A refrigerator having a compartment therein, a refrigerating coil for maintaining said compartment at subfreezing temperatures, a water conduit having an inlet end and a drain located outside of said compartment and an outlet end located within said compartment and sub jected to the sub-freezing temperatures therein, said water conduit'having a valve between'the inlet and outlet ends thereof and a diverter between the valve and the outlet end of the conduit, and said diverter having means therein for passing a substantially solid stream of water from the inlet to the outlet end of the conduit when the valve is open, and for passing drops of water that may leak past the valve from the inlet to the drain when the valve is closed without entering the outlet end of the conduit.

3. In an ice maker having means for automatically filling an ice mold with water, freezing the water, and removing the ice from the mold, the filling means including a conduit having an inlet portion connected to a source of water and having an outlet portion located adjacent the ice mold'to deliver water thereto, a valve in said conduit, a diverter in said conduit between the valve and the outlet portion of the conduit, and a drain conduit always in open communication with the diverter and leading from the lowermost portion thereof to a place of water disposal, the construction and arrangement of the diverter, the outlet portion of the conduit and the drain being such that when the valve is open substantially all water flowing through the inlet portion of the conduit passes through the diverter into the outlet portion as a solid stream, whereas when the valve is closed any water flowing into the diverter flows therefrom into the drain.

4. In an ice maker having means for automatically filling an ice mold with water, freezing the water, and removing the ice from the mold, the filling means including a conduit having an inlet portion connected to a source of water and having an outlet portion located adjacent the ice mold to deliver water thereto, the outlet portion being subjected to sub-freezing temperatures of the freezing means, a valve in said conduit, and means '1 in said conduit to prevent the freezing of water in the outlet portion thereof when the valve is closed, said means including a diverter in said conduit between the valve and the outlet portion of the conduit, and a drain conduit always in open communication with the diverter and leading from the lowermost portion thereof to a place of water disposal, the construction and arrangement of the diverter, the outlet portion of the conduit and the drain being such that-when the valve is open substantially all water flowing through the inlet portion of the conduit passes through the diverter into the outlet portion as a solidstream, whereas when the valve is closed any water flowing into the diverter flows therefrom into the drain.

5. In an automaticice maker, an ice mold, a conduit for filling the mold with water, refrigerating means 'for freezing the water in the mold and ejector mechanism for removing the ice from the mold, said conduit including an inlet portion, an outlet portion and a drain portion between the inlet and outlet portions, a valve in the inlet portion of the conduit, and a diverter connected between the inlet, the outlet and the drain portions of the conduit, said diverter having passageways therein always in open communication with the inlet, outlet and drain portions of the conduit and so constructed and arranged relative to the inlet, outlet and drain portions of the conduit that when the valve is open substantially all Water flows from the inlet through the outlet portion of the conduit to the ice mold, whereas, when the valve is closed any leakage past the valve flows to the drain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 870,113 Lewis Nov. 5, 1907 6 Steiner June 26, Manning Sept. 23, Peckelhotf Dec. 9, Hammers Oct. 20, Giles Sept. 5, Guildford May 10, Rose Aug. 20, Neukirch Jan. 7, Storer Dec. 5, Gregg Mar. 23, Van Vleck Apr. 12, Van Vleck Sept. 19,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 7, Switzerland Feb. 1, 

